Monday, April 30, 2012

Synopsis: Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery.

Official Synopsis: Writer/director/producer Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Funny People) brings audiences This Is 40, an original comedy that expands upon the story of Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) from the blockbuster hit Knocked Up as we see firsthand how they are dealing with their current state of life.

Official Synopsis: Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures, “Marvel’s The Avengers”– the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

This post contains all the news, trailers, movie clips, DVD/Blu-Ray releases and many more, that you may have missed in the last seven days, arranged in an accessible manner. Just browse and click the article titles you want to read. Read the full article to check out the weekly summary.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

MMA fighter turned action star Gina Carano ("Haywire") is in talks to join the sixth "Fast and the Furious" movie. Carano will star alongside Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock as a member of Johnson's special Diplomatic Security team. "Fast 6" moves the action and most of the cast of "Fast Five" to the UK for some fast and furious driving. Justin Lin is returning to direct both this sequel and the next one, which will take place in Germany.

"Top Gun 2" is moving forward in a hurry. According to Paramount President Adam Goodman, the sequel will reunite Tom Cruise, director Tony Scott ("Man on Fire", "Crimson Tide") and producer Jerry Bruckheimer : "We’ll likely make a Top Gun sequel with Tom Cruise first. Jerry Bruckheimer would produce, with Tony Scott returning to direct. All parties are moving ahead. We’ve hired Peter Craig ("The Town") to write the script." Also, it seems that Paramount is in a rush to film "Top Gun 2" before "Mission: Impossible 5". And if you just can't wait to see Maverick back in action, the original "Top Gun" will be re-released in 3D sometime this year.

Darren Aronofsky's hugely ambitious adaptation of Noah's biblical tale is beginning to take shape. Russel Crowe has been confirmed to star as Noah. Also, Saoirse Ronan and Jennifer Connelly have recently joined the cast. The movie is said to have a budget of around $125M and will aim for a PG-13 rating. Aronofsky wrote the screenplay alongside Ari Handel, and John Logan ("Gladiator", "Hugo") and is set for release on March 28, 2014. Here is a fragment of an official press release which provides more details about the movie :

"NOAH is a close adaptation of the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark. In a world ravaged by human sin, Noah is given a divine mission: to build an Ark to save creation from the coming flood. The screenplay was written by Aronofsky and Ari Handel and revised by Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter John Logan (GLADIATOR, HUGO).

Scott Franklin and Aronofsky of Protozoa Pictures, along with Mary Parent of Disruption Entertainment, will produce the film. The film will be executive produced by Ari Handel (BLACK SWAN), Arnon Milchan of New Regency and Chris Brigham (INCEPTION, ARGO).

The movie will begin shooting this July in Iceland and New York."

"Transformers 4" will be written by Ehren Kruger who also penned the scripts for the last two "Transformers" movies. This is not exactly positive news for those hoping for an improvement in the franchise. The fourth entry will be a reboot, meaning that the cast of the previous movies will not return, including Shia LaBeouf. It is also rumored that the new sequel will focus more on the robots and less on the humans, which hopefully means less awkward humor. Michael Bay will return to direct. The targeted release date is June 29, 2014

Mel Gibson and Michelle Williams are in talks to join the cast of "Machete Kills", the sequel to Robert Rodriguez's B-style exploitation flick. While Gibson is pretty much a sure thing, Michelle Williams isn't and neither is Rodriguez, who is still split between directing this sequel or "Sin City 2". Danny Trejo will return in the title role of Machete, the former Mexican Federale, who this time around is recruited by the U.S. Government and tasked with tracking an arms dealer through Mexico before he can launch a rocket attack.

Two weeks ago I was writing that MGM is preparing to produce a remake of Brian De Palma's "Carrie", which was based on a Stephen King novel. Kimberly Peirce ("Boys Don’t Cry") is onboard to direct, Chloe Moretz will star in the lead role and Julianne Moore is in talks to play Carrie's crazy mother. This week, Roger Birnbaum, CEO of MGM, let it slip that the new "Carrie" remake will be in part a found-footage movie. It remains to be seen just how much of it will be found footage and how that will mesh with the claims that this remake will be more faithful to the novel.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Official Synopsis: The Expendables are back and this time it’s personal… Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren),Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) — with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard — are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time — six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium; enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that’s nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother. That is done the Expendables way….

Official Synopsis: Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Inspired by Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.

Synopsis: Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery.

Official Synopsis: Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s (Adam Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of the world’s most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – to celebrate his daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Official Synopsis: Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, MOONRISE KINGDOM tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore — and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle. Bruce Willis plays the local sheriff. Edward Norton is a Khaki Scout troop leader. Bill Murray and Frances McDormand portray the young girl’s parents. The cast also includes Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, and Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the boy and girl.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Official Synopsis : The macabre and lurid tales of Edgar Allan Poe are vividly brought to life - and death - in this stylish, gothic thriller starring John Cusack as the infamous author. When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe's darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer's mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe's brutal stories a blood chilling reality. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe's love (Alice Eve) becomes the next target. Intrepid Pictures' The Raven also stars Brendan Gleeson and Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

Official Synopsis : A second-rate cage fighter on the mixed martial arts circuit, Luke Wright lives a numbing life of routine beatings and chump change...until the day he blows a rigged fight. Wanting to make an example of him, the Russian Mafia murders his family and banishes him from his life forever, leaving Luke to wander the streets of New York destitute, haunted by guilt, and tormented by the knowledge that he will always be watched, and anyone he develops a relationship with will also be killed. But when he witnesses a frightened twelve-year-old Chinese girl, Mei, being pursued by the same gangsters who killed his wife, Luke impulsively jumps to action...and straight into the heart of a deadly high-stakes war.

Official Synopsis : The director and writer/star of Forgetting Sarah Marshall reteam for the irreverent comedy The Five-Year Engagement. Beginning where most romantic comedies end, the new film from director Nicholas Stoller, producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) and Rodney Rothman (Get Him to the Greek) looks at what happens when an engaged couple, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, keeps getting tripped up on the long walk down the aisle.

Official Synopsis : In The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Hugh Grant stars in his first animated role as the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain - a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less-than-successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side (Martin Freeman, Brendan Gleeson, Russell Tovey, and Ashley Jensen), and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to the much coveted Pirate Of The Year Award. It's a quest that takes our heroes from the shores of exotic Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London. Along the way they battle a diabolical queen (Imelda Staunton) and team up with a haplessly smitten young scientist (David Tennant), but never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Official Synopsis: LAWLESS is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant’s family in his novel “The Wettest County in the World”, the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation’s most notorious crime wave.
Release Date: August 31, 2012 (US)

Official Synopsis: Many years of marriage have left Maeve (Meryl Streep) wanting to spice things up and reconnect with her husband. When she hears of a famed relationship guru (Steve Carell) in the town of Great Hope Springs, she must persuade her skeptical husband (Tommy Lee Jones) to get on a plane for an intense week of marriage and sex therapy. Getting there was hard enough…now shedding their bedroom hang ups, learning some new moves and rediscovering their youthful spark is when the real adventure begins.

Official Synopsis: Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures, “Marvel’s The Avengers”– the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

Official Synopsis: In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

Official Synopsis: Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In "Brave", a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Official Synopsis: MARIA (Naomi Watts), HENRY (Ewan McGregor) and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds toward her.
Henry grabs the two youngest boys, SIMON and THOMAS, but it’s too late: the wave smashes into him with incredible force and dislodges his grip. Maria is pushed underwater, where she is crushed and battered by debris to the brink of death. She finally surfaces in a raging black sea, which has completely submerged her three-story hotel and the surrounding landscape. Maria gasps for breath while she tries to understand what has just happened, convinced that her family has been obliterated in the blink of an eye. But then, her eldest son, LUCAS (Tom Holland), surfaces a few meters ahead in the wild flood. Face-to-face with something unexpected and incomprehensible, she must fight against all odds for her child’s survival. And her own.

Official Synopsis: A year after his brother’s death, Jack is still emotionally fragile. When he makes a scene at a memorial party, Iris decides to intervene. She gets Jack to oil up his old bike and drive out to her father’s cabin on an island on Puget Sound, where she hopes he will be able to work through things. When Jack arrives at the cabin, he does not find restorative solitude but instead Iris’ sister Hannah, nursing a wounded heart and a bottle of tequila. After throwing back a few drinks, these two end up getting to know each other a little more intimately. Their hangover wake-up call arrives the next morning in the form of Iris with a bag of groceries in hand.
Release Date: June 15, 2012 (US)

Monday, April 23, 2012

Official Synopsis: In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

Official Synopsis: Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Inspired by Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.

Official Synopsis: Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures, “Marvel’s The Avengers”– the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

This post contains all the news, trailers, movie clips, DVD/Blu-Ray releases and many more, that you may have missed in the last seven days, arranged in an accessible manner. Just browse and click the article titles you want to read. Read the full article to check out the weekly summary.

Guy Pearce is in talks to star in "Iron Man 3". The sequel's storyline is said to involve nanotechnology and Pearce, should he accept the part, will be playing geneticist Aldrich Killian, who creates some kind of nanobot virus and sells it to terrorists in an attempt to convince the government to re-fund his research. Ben Kingsley is also in talks to play an unknown villain in "Iron Man 3". Shane Black ("Leathal Weapon" writer, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang") is the writer/director this time around and most of the cast from the previous movies will return.

"The Wolverine", an origin story reboot/sequel of the well-known X-Men character and the 2009 film "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", has finally found a filming location : Australia. The story is said to take place in Japan and the initial plan was to film in Japan, but last year's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami indefinitely delayed production until now. Directed by James Mangold ("Identity", "3:10 to Yuma ") and starring Hugh Jackman, the movie will begin filming later this year and is scheduled for a July 26, 2013 release date.

It's been a while since any news regarding "Silent Hill: Revelation 3D" surfaced, but fans might be glad to know that the movie has finally received a release date : October 26, 2012. Does it surprise anyone that they decided to release it on Halloween ? Anyway, there's also a very detailed press release that might interest the fans, so here it is :

"SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D will be released wide October 26, 2012 in time for Halloween. The announcement was made today by Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films and producers Samuel Hadida and Don Carmody.

Based on the groundbreaking video game franchise, SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D is the sequel to the hit film SILENT HILL, which opened to number one at the U.S. box office and took in nearly $100 million at the worldwide box office. Featuring an unparalleled horror experience, Konami’s Silent Hill franchise has captivated fans for more than a decade and has spawned a hit comic book series, graphic novels, collectibleaction figures and numerous soundtracks from rock bands.

Directed by Michael J. Bassett (Solomon Kane, Deathwatch), original cast members Sean Bean (HBO’s Game Of Thrones, Lord Of The Rings), Deborah Kara Unger (The Game, 88 minutes, The Samaritan) and Radha Mitchell (Man On Fire, The Crazies, upcoming The Frozen Ground) return in SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D, starring along with rising stars Adelaide Clemens (X-Men Origins, upcoming The Great Gatsby, No One Lives) and Kit Harington (HBO’s Game Of Thrones) as well as Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix, Disturbia, NBC’s Chuck) and Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, The Artist).

In SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D, Heather Mason (Clemens) and her father (Bean) have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn’t fully understand. On the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrificnightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she’s not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever."

Director David O. Russel ("The Fighter", "Three Kings") has signed on to direct a biopic of 21-year Rhode Island mayor Buddy Cianci, a public figure who became famous for fighting corruption, only to end up in prison on racketeering charges. Russel's movie will be based on Cianci’s autobiography called "Politics and Pasta: How I Prosecuted Mobsters, Rebuilt a Dying City, Dined with Sinatra, Spent Five Years in a Federally Funded Gated Community, and Lived to Tell the Tale".

More details surface about the Steve Jobs biopic starring Ashton Kutcher. Producer Mark Hulme revealed the following : "Since our film covers the early years of Apple, when Jobs was in his 20′s, we needed an actor who could carry not only the youthfulness of Jobs at the time but also the psychological complexity. Because of that, and Ashton’s physical similarities to Jobs, he’s perfect for our film… When Ashton read the script he was immediately attracted to the project. He is a Steve Jobs and Apple fan, and is technologically savvy, as well, so he recognized the historical importance of Steve Jobs and the potential of the project. He is very excited to have the role." And, if you're not exactly sure about this movie, you'll be glad to find out that there's another Steve Jobs biopic in the works, based on the officially authorized biography, "Steve Jobs". This parallel biopic will be penned by Aaron Sorkin ("The Social Network", "Moneyball"). I personally think a clash between two biopics is rather stupid and counterproductive in terms of box-office, because that's the only thing studios really care about. That being said, if I were to choose between the two, I'd rather see Aaron Sorkin's version.

Charlize Theron is set to star in a sci-fi actioner called "Agent 13". The movie will probably be directed by Rupert Wyatt ("Rise of the Planet of the Apes"), but his involvement in the movie is not entirely certain, particularly since he'll be busy directing at least two more sequels to the 2011 Apes reboot/prequel.

"Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For" is moving forward. In just two weeks the sequel has managed to secure financing, schedule filming for this summer and hire Mickey Rourke and Rosario Dawson to return in their previous roles. Frank Miller promises an even more impressive sequel : "“The first Sin City knocked out audiences who had never seen anything like it before. Robert Rodriguez and I are going to shake things up and deliver a ferocious film experience that is going to go even further than the first."